Bud Selig Again Insists He's Stepping Down, Gives No Hints As To His Successor

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig yesterday "emphatically shook his head no" when asked whether he "might stay past his retirement date of Jan. 24, 2015," according to Jon Heyman of CBSSPORTS.com. MLB Senior VP/PR Pat Courtney said, "There is a (succession) plan in place." Heyman noted there have been "a couple speculative remarks made by baseball people on the prospect of Selig staying beyond his announced retirement date," including one by Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino. Lucchino last month said that he "wouldn't be surprised to see Selig remain in the job longer." Selig has suggested that he was "planning to retire in past years, only to change his mind." But sources said that he "means it this time." MLB COO Rob Manfred would appear to be "one logical candidate to take over the commissionership, though Selig/Courtney didn't specify the plan" (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/9).

WORKING OUT THE REPLAY KINKS: In Cincinnati, C. Trent Rosecrans noted replay official Gerry Davis after a challenge during yesterday's Reds-D-Backs game "didn't get the call right, which isn't how the system is supposed to work." Davis had "just four replay angles to choose from, none of them were the one aired on TV." All four angels came from "static cameras and none with zooming capabilities." Davis after a delay of "two minutes and 15 seconds, ruled there wasn't conclusive evidence to overturn the call." Only after that was "made official, did Davis get the fifth angle, the one that was shown on TV." MLB Dir of Major League Umpires Randy Marsh said, "It was an umpire's nightmare. With that view, they would have flipped the call, but they didn't get it until it was over." Reds manager Bryan Price said, "I'm aware of what happened, but (still happy) as far as how the protocols go, and engaging and the do's and don't's" (CINCINNATI.com, 3/9).